Self-sealing card assembly on carrier and methods of manufacture

Abstract

The self-sealing card assembly comprises an intermediate plastic substrate having upper and lower clear polyethylene layers and an intermediate polyurethane layer therebetween, permanent pressure-sensitive adhesive applied to the faces of the polyethylene layers, a release liner overlying approximately one-half of the upper adhesive and an ID card overlying the remaining half of the adhesive. The lower adhesive layer adheres the card assembly to a carrier sheet whereby the card assembly and carrier sheet may form a mailer. The recipient completes the information requested on the ID card, peels the upper three layers from the carrier sheet by separating the upper polyethylene layer from the polyurethane layer, removes the upper half of the release liner and folds the clear polyethylene layer onto the upper surface of the ID card to form the laminated card. To manufacture the assembly, the plastic substrate is passed through adhesive applicators and release liners are adhered to its opposite sides. The upper liner is slit lengthwise in the direction of web travel, one half of the liner is removed and the preprinted ID in continuous web form is applied to the exposed adhesive. The lower liner is then removed and the carrier sheet and card assembly are adhered one to the other.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of manufacturing a self-sealable card assembly and a carrier sheet comprising the steps of: providing a plastic substrate with first and second adhesive layers on opposite faces thereof, respectively, and a first release liner overlying a portion of the first adhesive layer;   removing said first release liner to expose said portion of said first adhesive layer;   applying a card to said exposed portion of said first adhesive layer to form the card assembly; and   adhering the plastic substrate and the card adhered to the first adhesive layer to the carrier sheet.   
     
     
       2. A method according to claim 1 including providing a second release liner over said second adhesive layer prior to removing the first release liner and removing the second release liner from the second adhesive layer prior to adhering the plastic substrate and the card to the first adhesive layer. 
     
     
       3. A self-seal card and carrier sheet assembly, comprising: a plastic substrate including first and second layers of plastic materials coupled to and separable from one another, with at least said first layer being transparent, said first and second layers having faces on opposite sides of said substrate with first and second adhesive layers thereon, respectively;   a first release liner overlying a portion of said first adhesive layer on said first face of said substrate;   a card having indicia thereon and overlying another portion of said first adhesive layer such that said first release liner and said card substantially overlie the entirety of said first adhesive layer;   a carrier sheet;   said second layer of plastic material being affixed to said carrier sheet by said second adhesive layer; and   said first release liner being removable from said first adhesive layer for enabling the first layer of plastic material, upon separation from said second layer thereof, to be folded over the card whereby the card is encapsulated along opposite faces by said first layer of plastic material.   
     
     
       4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein said first layer of plastic material is removable from said carrier sheet by separation of said first and second layers of plastic material. 
     
     
       5. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said plastic substrate occupies a fraction of the area of said carrier paper sheet. 
     
     
       6. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said plastic substrate includes an intermediate layer of polyurethane between said first and second layers of plastic material to facilitate separation of said first and second layers of plastic material from one another. 
     
     
       7. An assembly according to claim 6 wherein said first and second layers of said substrate are comprised of polyethylene. 
     
     
       8. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said first adhesive layer comprises a pressure-sensitive permanent adhesive. 
     
     
       9. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said second adhesive layer comprises a pressure sensitive permanent adhesive. 
     
     
       10. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein said first layer of plastic material is removable from said carrier sheet by separation of said first and second layers of plastic material, said plastic substrate being adhesively secured to said paper sheet and occupying a fraction of the area of said carrier paper sheet, said plastic substrate including an intermediate layer of polyurethane between said first and second layers of plastic material to facilitate separation of said first and second layers of plastic material from one another, said first and second layers of said substrate being comprised of polyethylene, said first and second adhesive layers comprising a pressure-sensitive permanent adhesive.